Ulster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Monaghan 2-22 Down 0-9                                         5/6/16

Monaghan started their defence of the Ulster SFC with a comprehensive win over Down at a sunny St. Tiarnach’s Park, Clones on Sunday. Monaghan needed five Conor McManus frees to send them in with a 0-9 to 0-6 lead at the end of a first half in which Down kicked eight wides, but they dominated the second period, adding 2-13 to their tally. Kieran Hughes and substitute Owen Duffy got the goals for Monaghan, who had 11 scorers, including three subs, who chipped in with a combined 1-3. Monaghan now await the winners of next Sunday’s game between Donegal and Fermanagh in the semi-finals.

Monaghan: R Beggan (0-3, 2f, 1 ’45); R Wylie, D Wylie, K Duffy; D Mone, C Walshe, V Corey; D Hughes, K O’Connell (0-1); R McAnespie (0-1), D Malone (0-1), S Carey (0-1); C McCarthy (0-2, 1f), K Hughes (1-2), C McManus (Capt., 0-8, 6f).

Subs: O Duffy (1-0) for McAnespie (inj., 50 mins), F Kelly for Mone (52), P Finlay for K Hughes, D McKenna (0-2) for McCarthy (both 58), D Clerkin (0-1) for Corey (62), T Kerr for Carey (65).

Down: S Kane; G McGovern, C McGovern, D McKibbin; D O’Hanlon (0-2f), G Collins, D O’Hagan; P Turley, A Carr; C Maginn (0-2), M Poland (0-1), J Murphy; K McKernan (Capt.), C Harrison, B O’Hagan (0-1).

Subs: D O’Hare (0-2, 1f) for B O’Hagan (H-T), H Brown for Turley (black card, 41), P Devlin (0-1f) for Murphy (47), J Flynn for McKibbin (55), D Turley for Collins (61), R Mallon for Maginn (67).

Referee: C Lane (Cork).